US arms deal with Israel 'clear signal' to Iran, says Chuck Hagel

Chuck Hagel, the US defence secretary, warned Iran on Sunday that a major arms deal with Israel was a "clear signal" that it could face a military strike unless it abandoned its suspect nuclear programme.

Mr Hagel's visit will seal an agreement to provide Israel with missiles for its fighter aircraftPhoto: Getty Images

At the start of a six-day visit to the Middle East, Mr Hagel acknowledged that the Obama administration and Israel differed on how close Tehran was to building a nuclear bomb, insisting there was still time for diplomacy to work.

"When you back down into the specifics of the timing of when and if Iran decides to pursue a nuclear weapon, there may well be some differences," he told reporters aboard his plane shortly before arriving in Israel for a visit expected to conclude the sale of hi-tech military hardware to the Jewish state.

But he said America recognised Israel's right to decide whether to act on its own. "Iran presents a threat in its nuclear programme and Israel will make the decisions that Israel must make to protect itself and defend itself," he said.

Mr Hagel's comments followed renewed warnings from Israeli officials that they may be forced to go it alone to prevent Iran from building a bomb, despite increasingly stringent international sanctions against the Islamic regime's uranium enrichment programme. Tehran insists its nuclear activities are peaceful and denies pursuing a bomb.

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, told the BBC last week that Israel's right to act against Iran "not subject to a traffic light". His remarks followed a plea from Yuval Steinitz, the strategic affairs minister, for Iran to be given an ultimatum that it would face military strikes unless it stopped enrichment within weeks.

President Barack Obama, during a trip to Israel last month, pledged to do everything necessary to prevent Iran from obtaining a bomb. But in an interview on Israeli television, he said that it would take "over a year" for Tehran to build a weapon – a longer time-span than that estimated by Israeli officials – and that the dispute would be best solved diplomatically.

Mr Hagel's visit will seal an agreement to provide Israel with missiles for its fighter aircraft, plus KC-135 refuelling planes that could be used in a long-range strike on a country like Iran, as well as V-22 Osprey transport planes.

Asked if the deal sent a message to Tehran that military strikes on its nuclear installations were a definite possibility, Mr Hagel said: "I don't think there's any question that that's another very clear signal to Iran."

Last week, Mr Hagel told a US house of representatives' defence subcommittee that America had "the military capability" to back an Israeli strike on Iran.

Mr Hagel – who faced accusations of being anti-Israel and soft on Iran during his Senate nomination hearings in February – will meet Mr Netanyahu, Shimon Peres, the Israeli president, Moshe Ya'alon, the defence minister, and Benny Gantz, the army chief-of-staff, during a two-day visit.

He will also travel to Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. He is expected to conclude expensive arms deals with Saudi Arabia and the UAE, who are among Iran's adversaries.